'We are glad we decided to have our children, who now have children of their own, our grandchildren.' Photo / Elizaveta Tomashevska, 123rf, File
Always hope
Mary Cornford’s letter (NZ Herald, April 12) about so many school-age children feeling that they have no future made sad reading. It reminded me that, as young wives in the UK, my sister-in-law and I had serious discussions about whether we should bring children into such a troubled world. This was in the days of the “Cold War” with the US and Russia shaking their fists at each other. They were creating bigger and “better” nuclear weapons with which to threaten each other, including the terrifying hydrogen bomb. But we decided that without hope we are nothing and that we wouldn’t let our lives be put on hold by these threats. We are glad we decided to have our children, who now have children of their own, our grandchildren. There are so many things in this world to be thankful for, to be enjoyed, so many amazing people providing us with rays of hope, inspiring us to go forward. I trust that with the help of teachers like Mary Cornford more children will come to look forward to the future with more optimism. Anne Martin, Helensville.
Downhill racing
Your editorial (NZ Herald, April 12), headed “Big problems - small thinking”, cites some problems around New Zealand’s trajectory. Of course, such things have been predicted for decades now. The middle of next year will mark 40 years since the double-headed ideological monster (new right “economics” and “political correctness”) got the stranglehold on this country. I see, in your editorial, that R. Frith uses the term “philosophical”, rather than “ideological”. In my opinion, he is wrongly endowing those he is talking about with intelligence, rather than ideology. I suspect that may be an artefact of his profession’s standard practice of politeness. The country continues its slide downhill in all material aspects of its security, comfort, etc. in the more subjective ideological areas. It would seem that a sizeable chunk of the population would consider that the country has made “progress”. Individual parameters have been highlighted over the course of the above-mentioned decades. The downhill course seems well and truly set for the rest of this era of idiocy. It now seems set that this country will be aimed at a population of greater multiples of optimal size than the present. Ken W.J. Lynch, Northcross.
Reducing spread
We should be grateful we had the kind and intelligent government of Labour during those two years of Covid which ended with the lowest world rate of infection and deaths. Thank goodness Christopher Luxon wasn’t in charge. He’s shown his keenness to open us to higher rates of death and illness as seen in his urging New Zealand not to continue rules of “stay at home” directives. His ideology remains that of individuality: “I must be free from rules and if others die because I spread Covid then that is not my problem.” I dread to think of the future for people with weak immune systems with National in charge. Frankie Letford, Hamilton.
Isolated view
Christopher Luxon and David Seymour have stated that the continuing isolation of potential or actual Covid-infected people is no longer necessary and is bad for business. Perhaps they could explain to us how a person spreading infection to others in their workplace enhances business efficiency. Do they regard the increase in death rate and pressure on the health system that will occur without isolation to be of no consequence? How fortunate we are to have a government that follows expert advice. Dr Tony Barker, Glenfield.
Follow the leader
There may be good reasons for reducing Covid-19 isolation restrictions but in what way is “other countries are doing it” a compelling reason for doing so? If other countries had done what we did in 2020, the virus would have been eliminated. If we always did what other countries do we would have had a capital gains tax decades ago. Warren Drake, Ōrākei.
Lessen learned
Teachers have the highest rate of Covid infections for any work group in New Zealand. No teachers want to infect their students and their colleagues. No one wants to go back to online learning. What about our already stretched health system? Do we want to make it worse with winter only a few weeks away? I want to see politicians caring more for people than dog-whistle politics. Faint chance. Steve Horne, Raglan.
Extra slices
So the National Party wants to reinstate interest deductibility for investment properties without introducing a comprehensive capital gains tax on them. As virtually all of the Western world except New Zealand realises, this is like having bread without butter – they go together. Tony Sullivan, St Heliers.
Repellent belittling
If Wayne Brown thinks it is okay to make belittling remarks (NZ Herald, April 12) in a public forum about people he works with, and who are sitting in the same meeting as him, that is just evidence of a bullying disposition. As with Donald Trump, such behaviour gives license to others to bully. As with Trump, it is important that such behaviour continues to be called out for what it is, lest it becomes normalised. Gavin Kay, Remuera.
Weed do better
Simon Wilson (NZ Herald, April 11) was spot on in highlighting the problem with weeds in our environment. What he doesn’t mention is the economic impact. A good example is invasive pampas grass, often confused with the native toetoe but easily identified as it flowers in March/April while toetoe flowers in the spring. Pampas seeds are a significant problem for the kiwifruit industry as the fruit needs to be seed-free for export, but there are billions of pampas seeds drifting around when kiwifruit are being harvested. Three years ago I tried to get Bay of Plenty Regional Council to upgrade the pest status of pampas but it essentially said it was too difficult. I believe that the best way to start getting rid of pest plant species is to focus on the economic damage. Otherwise, we are fated to continue to fight a major forest fire with a garden hose. This is a political issue as much as an environmental one. Weeds are far more dangerous than possums, rats or stoats and yet they get the funding, while the weeds flourish. Julian Fitter, Bay Conservation Alliance, Maketu.
Option six
I would like to suggest that an old plan be added to these “new” five options – one that I recall being displayed in the Herald a number of years ago and the reason the Waterview Tunnel was built the way it was. Simply, the motorway would continue from the mouth of the tunnels, out through Pt Chev, along the Meola Reef (which accounts for most of the distance) and lifting to join the mainland heading toward the Glenfield area, in a similar manner that the Greenhithe Bridge does now. We don’t want more traffic being focused into and through Auckland. Many people want to bypass Auckland anyway and head south to Wiri or the airport. It’s just dumb to focus and refocus more and more traffic through the central zone. Go back to the original plan of 30 years ago, distribute the traffic, not concentrate. Trevor Burgess, Snells Beach.
City of fails
At last, I can agree with Wayne Brown on something: our Super City, created by the Act-National Government in 2010, is a failure. It’s far too big, unwieldy and undemocratic. We formerly had four cities, each with its own mayor, and a local council that was in touch with its community. Each city also had its own character and style, reflecting our diverse community. This is completely unlike the amorphous impersonal mega city we have today. It’s been an expensive mistake and is now adding to our local government woes. It was no surprise that the people of Wellington and Hutt Valley resoundingly rejected the supercity concept for their part of the country. They understood that Auckland had been forced into an unsuitable arrangement, which ignored the advice of the experts. Maybe it’s time to revisit this mess and bring back the local into local government. V. M. Fergusson, Mt Eden.
On planning
It is with despair that I read your editorial (NZH, April 12). However, congratulations on printing what is the frustrating reality of many problems in our country. Kay Wheeler, Huapai.
On leaders
Men of substance; Nero played his musical instrument, Trump planned a wall and Wayne Brown declares war on cones. Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
On waters
Labour’s Three Waters restructuring has been years in the making, legislation passed, boards appointed and staff hired. Now the restructuring itself is being restructured. Confusion reigns. Brian McLachlan, Onerahi.
On fisheries
Very good to see Chloe Swarbrick (NZH, April 12) pushing to ban bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf. Shame on Chris Hipkins for dropping fisheries to an out-of-Cabinet minister. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
On crime
Interesting juxtaposition of two articles (NZH, April 12) regarding El Salvador’s and NZ’s approach to justice and gangs. I know which one would make me, as a law-abiding citizen, feel a heck of a lot safer.
Ed Roggeveen, Blenheim.
On priorities
People in the deep south cannot get immediate cancer treatment for want of funding, etc. but Labour wants to dig a tunnel under the Waitematā. Where is the “bread and butter” philosophy? Ian Doube, Rotorua.
Simon Wilson: Fixing dysfunction starts at the top
I agree that dysfunction starts at the top, however, Wayne Brown has picked up the reins only to find that the saddle is rotten. Maybe a, “Hey Phil, why did you not have the correct emergency plans in place before you left the office,” would be a more meaningful article to write? Robert S.
Give the mayor a break. He was probably thinking about his backhand volley for his next doubles match. What else to do on a rainy day in Auckland? Shannon S.
Wayne Brown took on a hospital pass last year. Phil Goff is the one to blame for this mess, although, at the end of the day, the council staff are self-managing incompetents, who I understand basically thumb their noses at whatever councillors or the mayor want done or investigated. We need commissioners in to Auckland now to sort out the mess at every level. It is beyond the mayor and councillors to deal with. Some legal weight needs to be thrown at the uncooperative employees (the managers in the main). Now. Helen S.
Brown’s history in Auckland DHB, Tairāwhiti DHB and clearly in Auckland City is that he disparages his staff and the employees of the organisation. This newspaper reported an event in a lift in the council building where he asked an employee what their job was. And then he asked if it was even a real job. Setting aside if he even considers it a job or not, it’s not hard to keep quiet and not disparage the person, the role or the people who created it. Thomas M.
Wayne Brown was voted for by the people of Auckland to sort out the many problems that Auckland seems to have. He was not voted for to be nice to people. He was voted for to be ruthless in his pursuit to succeed in the mandates that he was elected on. I did not vote for a Mister Nice Guy. Robert S.
The new free open-air saltwater pool is already proving popular.